My daughter, Lauren, is in her fifth year of Girl Scouts. She joined Girl Scouts enthusiastically at her first opportunity – in kindergarten. So, when my son, Owen, reached first grade last year – the time when boys are first allowed to join Boy Scouts – I asked if he also wanted to become a Scout.

He wasn’t sure, and eventually, I stopped asking. More than a year later, part of me is glad he decided not to get involved.

I love the idea of scouting. They learn independence, practical skills, how to be a productive member of society and in general, simply how to be a better person. They get to try new things, bond with their troop-mates and develop long-lasting relationships with their troop leaders.

I also know that Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are very different in the way they are structured and operated.

In my daughter’s years as a Girl Scout, I haven’t witnessed any religious references or connotations in anything related to her scouting.

But I was very aware of the stance the Boy Scouts of America has taken for decades against homosexuality. I strongly oppose discrimination, and when I asked my son if he wanted to join Scouts, part of me questioned whether I should let my son become involved in an organization that supported discrimination.

Last year, when the Boy Scouts reaffirmed their stance against gay Scouts and leaders, I was reassured that my son was not missing out.

Financial support for Boy Scouts has dropped since that reaffirmation. At the same time, some churches have threatened to drop their sponsorships if the ban against gays is removed. Churches sponsor almost 70 percent of scouting units.

I became hopeful recently when it was learned that the Boy Scouts were considering lifting the nationwide ban on gays, and instead allowing local scouting units to decide for themselves whether they would admit homosexuals.

It turns out, the Boy Scouts didn’t even want the public to know they were considering such a change, and don’t plan on making a decision till May. But the news that it was a topic of discussion has parents and the scouting community buzzing.

The naysayers say homosexuals can’t be trusted to be leaders, who often spend entire weekends with their charges. I say they shouldn’t be any less trustworthy that a heterosexual adult, and being gay has nothing to do with being a pedophile.

Parents ought to be cautious about leaving their child in the care of anyone, of any sexual orientation. And while I admit that I’m not very familiar with all of Boy Scouts’ policies, I might suggest that they follow the guidelines that the Girl Scouts follow.

No troop leader is ever alone with a Girl Scout; two adults must always be present.

For now, the Boy Scouts’ decision on whether to lift the ban doesn’t affect me. But if they lifted it, I would be more inclined to suggest my son get involved, for all the good that Boy Scouts has to offer.